Jon Whitney: Walsall have a 'boot room'

It come as he was nominated for the League One Manager of the Month.

Whitney – who is up against Paul Heckingbottom, Kevin Keen and Keith Hill for the March honour – won his first three games at the helm last month.

The Saddlers currently sit third in League One with their sights firmly set on winning a place in the Championship next season.

That success has been built despite the club operating on one of the lowest budgets in the division, with Walsall developing their own players and ethos instead of splashing out on large transfer fees.

Liverpool's success throughout the 1970s and 1980s was also built on a togetherness, with managers Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly often discussing team affairs with players in the Anfield Boot Room.

And Whitney believes a similar spirit exists at Walsall with the interim boss working closely with his players as well as coaches John Ward, Neil Cutler and Dean Holden.

He said: "I am the person people are seeing as the manager but I don't see myself as the manager at all.

"I see myself, Dean, Cuts, John, the players we're all as one and I really do believe that. The fans and staff too, we are all one big group striving for success.

"It really is a group thing. It's the Anfield Boot Room but we have got a Walsall one. Everyone here as has a say and we want to hear their opinions.

"We don't want people to be quiet, we want to learn together as a group."

Meanwhile, Whitney admitted he was pleased with the performance of debutant Matt Pennington on Saturday – even though the Saddlers fell to a 2-0 loss at Sheffield United.

The Walsall chief added: "I was pleased with him. thought he was competitive, he got on the ball and he was an outlet for us."